Dental mouth props, or bite blocks, are devices which are inserted into the patient's mouth between the upper and lower teeth to keep the mouth opened in a relatively fixed position. This allows access to the interior of the mouth for dental procedures including but not limited to such aspects of dental treatment as phophys, endo, ortho, perio and restorative work.
Bite blocks provide for more efficiency and ease of performance by the dental professional as they provide the dental professional with some measure of control over the size of the opening of the mouth. Bite blocks provide comfort to the typical patient as they can relax the muscles in the jaw as they rest their teeth on the block. This is particularly beneficial in longer duration dental procedures.
A bit block is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,815 entitled “Dental Device” and issuing to Hoffman on Dec. 25, 1979. Therein disclosed is a dental device having a body, bite block portions, and a tongue shield restricting movement of the tongue towards the lingual surface of the teeth.
Another dental device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,329 entitled “Moisture Controlling Lingual Dental Mirror” and issuing to Diamond on Apr. 16, 1985. Therein disclosed is a tongue holder and support for a check retractor that provides moisture control and has a mirror for viewing the lingual surface of the lower dentition.
Another dental device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,591 entitled “Dental Prop, Throat Dam and Retractor” and issuing to Barstow on Jul. 31, 2001. Therein disclosed is a tongue retracting surface, a throat dam and an integral lip retracting surface with a grip portion. A prop portion has angled biting surfaces adapted to engage the teeth. A reflective material is attached to the tongue retracting surface.
While these prior dental devices have performed their intended function in aiding dental procedures, they are relatively large and expensive to manufacture. Additionally, they have to be sterilized between patients to prevent the possibility of cross contamination. Therefore, there is a need for a simple inexpensive bite block that provides improved visibility within the confines of a patient's mouth.
Additionally, there is a need for a smaller bite block that could be easily placed in the mouth when only a section or quadrant of the mouth is being worked on.